View From The Town End: Jon Dadi Bodvarsson

Icelandic international Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was confirmed as Reading’s second signing of the summer on Friday, so we got in touch with Tom from Wolves Blog to get his thoughts on the forward.

What's Jon's best position?

Centre forward. Can't really see where else he could play other than as a straightforward number 9. If you played him deeper or out wide, I don't think he'd be as effective.

What type of player is he?

He's not a million miles away from another former Reading and Wolves striker - Kevin Doyle. Like Doyle he's quite good with his back to goal, has a decent touch, a bit of pace and can turn with the ball and make powerful runs. Although he has the stature of a target man, he seems to prefer the ball at his feet and running in behind.

Main strengths?

He's a good all round player in my opinion. Works hard and never gives up. Very useful at holding the ball up and bringing others into play. Happy to take defenders on even though he's not blessed with rapid pace. Can shoot powerfully and compete in the air. Should be a perfect fit for Championship football.

Any particular weaknesses?

The obvious one is the lack of goals. Only managed three last season I think, which is ridiculous for a player of his ability. Looked unplayable in the early months of the season but then fizzled out and had to compete for a starting role with the returning Nouha Dicko, which further disrupted his rhythm. Other than that, he probably should win more in the air for a man of his size.

Any stories of what he's like off the pitch?

Not really. Seems like a low profile guy but many at the club praised his hard work and dedication. Sounds like a good egg.

Were you sad to see him go?

Yes. I think he's been too readily discarded. I spoke to Paul Lambert about him at the end of last year and he pointed out Bod hadn't had any time off for three years through his international commitments for Iceland and needed a break. I saw enough of a player to suggest that with a proper holiday, a good pre-season and settled team behind him, he'd do well. Can see him making us look foolish.

Do you think he'll fit in to Reading's style of play?

Very much so. Jaap Stam likes possession based football and as Bod is a striker who likes the ball on the deck, I can see it being a good fit. I think he'll do well for you. Best of luck to him too. Could never fault his dedication to the cause.

Many thanks to Tom for taking the time to answer our questions - you can follow him (@thomasbaugh) or the site (@wolvesblog) on Twitter.